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Reigning NBA champions the Cleveland Cavaliers honored at White House

The reigning NBA champions Cleveland Cavaliers were honored by President Barack Obama at the White House Thursday.

It took just minutes for the president to mention JR Smith's shirt, which has failed to attend some major events, like the Cavs celebration parade and Game 7 of the World Series.

"Before I go any further," Obama said after his first few introductions, "I want to give a special thanks to JR Smith's shirt for showing up. I was unsure if it was going to make an appearance."

Remembering the season, the president touched on some big moments.

"There was 'The Block'...what LeBron has said was the defining moment of his career," Obama said. "'The Shot' by Kyrie, putting the Cavs up by five...'The Stop' by Kevin Love."

President Obama emphasized the importance of a team effort last season and how LeBron James brought them together.

"When you see LeBron James, it is not just his power and his speed and his vertical," he said. "It is his unselfishness, it is his work ethic, it is his insistence on always making the right play, it is his determination, all of which makes him one of the greatest players of all time."

The POTUS also touched on the night the Cavs won Game 7.

"You saw it when this kid from Akron broke down and fell to his knees when he realized that he had finally fulfilled a promise he made all those years ago and delivered that championship back to Northeast Ohio."

He continued: "This is a player and this is a team that knows what this title means to Cleveland. This is a city that's...throughout sports history...has been through a lot. The Fumble, The Drive, Jordan over Ehlo...a whole lot more. But through it all, Cleveland was always Believeland."

The meeting was just hours after President-elect Donald Trump met with the president.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich also made an appearance at the White House Thursday.

He posted a photo, alongside his daughters, with the Larry O'Brien trophy.